Name: | Plot K, Chelmsford Business Park, Springfield |
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SMR Number: | 48077 |
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Type of record: | Monument |
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Grid Reference: | TL 735 082 |
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Map Sheet: | TL70NW |
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Parish: | SPRINGFIELD, CHELMSFORD, ESSEX |
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Summary
Archaeological excavation was undertaken in advance of the development of Plot K of
Chelmsford Business Park, Springfield, Chelmsford. Three newly-discovered pits were excavated on the projected line of the Neolithic causewayed enclosure, along with the northern end of a pit that had been part-excavated during previous trenching in 1991.
Full description
Archaeological excavation was undertaken in advance of the development of Plot K of Chelmsford Business Park. The c.0.75ha rectangular development area lies 20m to the north of the site of the Bronze Age enclosure, Early Saxon cemetery and Late Saxon settlement site excavated at Springfield Lyons 1981-91. Also recorded during these excavations, and in additional trenching to north and south, was the western side of a Neolithic causewayed enclosure,
which extended into the eastern side of Plot K. The western side of Plot K was heavily rutted and had been previously stripped of topsoil for use as a construction compound during a previous phase of Business Park development. Excavations concentrated on the less disturbed eastern half of the site. <1>
Features of Neolithic, Late Bronze Age, Late Saxon and post-medieval date were recorded. The post medieval features are described here. See EHER Nos. 5788 to 5791 for features from other periods which relate directly to features excavated from 1981 to 91 at Springfield Lyons. <1>
The lack of medieval features and finds is commensurate with the results of the 1981-91 investigations and can be attributed to the shift of Cuton Hall to its present site after the Norman Conquest. Although the area is likely to have reverted to agricultural use at this time no ditches of medieval date were identified. Ditch 8, the only firmly dated post-medieval field boundary, was in-filled in the 18th or 19th century. The ditch is not depicted on early Ordnance Survey mapping and is therefore likely to have passed out of use prior to the second half of the 19th century. It may have been deliberately backfilled to create a more open parkland landscape within the grounds to the east of Springfield Lyons house. As the boundary ditch runs directly beneath the two mature oak trees it is likely that these are remnants of a former hedgeline respecting this boundary. The size of the trees suggests that the boundary has been in existence for some considerable time, perhaps originating much earlier in the post-medieval period. Unfortunately, due to the requirement to preserve a protective ring under their canopy, the relationship between the oak trees and ditch could not be investigated. <1>
Root disturbed ditch 26 to the west is of probable post-medieval date and may have been infilled at the same time as ditch 8. Ditch 26 was only traceable for a comparatively short length and may have delineated an agricultural sub-division within a larger field of which ditch 8 formed the eastern edge. <1>
<1> Ennis, T, 2012, Plot K, Chelmsford Business Park, Springfield, Chelmsford, Essex (DESC TEXT). SEX70872.
Monument Types
- DITCH (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
Associated Events
- Plot K, Chelmsford Business Park, Springfield, Chelmsford (Ref: ?)
Sources and further reading
<1> | DESC TEXT: Ennis, T. 2012. Plot K, Chelmsford Business Park, Springfield, Chelmsford, Essex. |
Related records
5788 | Related to: Springfield Lyons (Monument) |
5789 | Related to: Springfield Lyons (Monument) |
5790 | Related to: Springfield Lyons (Monument) |
5791 | Related to: Springfield Lyons (Monument) |
5792 | Related to: Springfield Lyons (Monument) |
Images
No image description available © Essex County Council | |
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